Kitchen utility device



y 1935. A. c. GILBERT ET AL I 2,007,300

KITCHEN UTILITY DEVICE Filed Dec. 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l C JIF July9, 1935. A. c. GILBERT ET AL I 2,007,300

KITCHEN UTILITY DEVICE Filed Dec. 30, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 9,1935. A, Q GILBERT r AL 2,007,300

KITCHEN UTILITY DEVICE Filed Dec. 50, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 $1 .15 ail-.16.

Gum/M4 135 Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES KITCHEN UTILITY DEVICEAlfred 0. Gilbert, North Haven, and Shirley P. Morse, East Haven, Conn,assignors to The A. 0. Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn.

Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 649,582

6 Claims.

This invention relates to kitchen utility devices of the type in. whichan electric motor supplies power for the mixing or beating of materials,the extraction of fruit juices, etc.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich is simple, sturdy and inexpensive.

Another object is to furnish a device which can be operated veryconveniently by the housewife.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts.

to be hereinafter described and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying our improvements, thejuice-collecting bowl and fruit reamer being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the upper part of the structure showingthe juice-collecting bowl and fruit reamer in position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a section on line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a front view of the gearing shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on line 99 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a section on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical section through the juice-receiving bowland fruit reamer showing the mounting of the reamer shaft;

Fig. 12 is a section on line l2--l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view of the bowlsupporting bracket;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the gear case illustrating a somewhatmodified form of gearing for driving the agitator shafts;

Fig. 15 is a detail view taken at right angles to Fig. 14; and

Figs. 16 and 1'7 are views showing still further modifications of thegearing.

In its general features our device as particularly illustrated hereincomprises a base adapted to support bowls and receptacles of variouskinds; a pedestal rising from the base; a bracket pivoted to thepedestal in a position to overhang the base; an electric motor supportedon top of the bracket; a gear case and gearing supported from one end ofthe motor; agitator shafts depending from the gear case and adapted toproject down into a receptacle supported onthe base to stir the contentsof the receptacle; an extractor shaft adapted to be mounted to projectupwardly from the gear case to drive a reamer located in ajuicecollecting and delivering bowl; and a bracket supported on themotor at the upper part thereof and by means of which thejuice-collecting bowl is held in position, the bowl being removable fromthe bracket and the reamer shaft being removable from its operativeposition in which it extends upward from the gear casing.

In the example selected for illustration, the base is indicatedgenerally at A, the pedestal at B, the motor bracket at C, the motor atD, the gear case containing gearing driven from the motor shaft at E,the depending agitators at F, the fruit reamer at G, thejuice-collecting bowl at H, and the bracket supporting thejuice-collecting bowl at I.

The base A may be of any usual structure and need not be particularlydescribed. The pedestal B rises from the rear end of the base A, and themotor-supporting bracket C is mounted to swing up and downrelatively tothe pedestal B and is also capable of turning movement relativelythereto so that the agitators F can be swung laterally relatively to thebase to bring them into the position desired for the operation to beperformed or to bring the juice-collecting bowl H, if desired, to oneside or the other of the base. In the particular form shown the pedestalB is of round cross-section and hollow and at its upper end provides aswivel mounting for a platform 20. At its upper end the pedestal B has acylindrical opening or socket 2| in which is received a downwardlyprojecting substantially cylindrical hub or trunnion 22 preferablyformed integrally with the platform 20. The hub or trunnion 22 isprovided with an annular circumferential groove 23, and a set screw 24projecting through the wall of the hollow pedestal near its mouth isadapted to engage with a certain amount of friction the bottom of thegroove 23 so that the platform 20 may be caused to turn in its socketwith the proper amount of friction to hold it in position after it hasbeen swimg to the desired position angularly with respect to thepedestal and base. Projecting upwardly from the platform 20 andpreferably integral therewith is a fork having arms 25 between which themotor bracket 0 is pivoted by means of a pivot pin 26. This mountingprovides for the swinging of the motor bracket in a vertical plane sothat the agitators F can be moved upward to clear a receptacle mountedon the base A. After the dripping of material from the agitators F intothe receptacle has ceased the bowl or other receptacle may be removedfrom the base in a lateral direction. The bracket C has a downwardprojection 21 in front of the pivot pin 26 adapted to engage the uppersurface of the platform member 20 so that normally the bracket will besupported in a substantially horizontal position. The platform member 20acts s a base member for the fork in which the mo- 31 bracket ispivoted.

Somewhat in front of the pivot pin 28 the racket C is provided with anupwardly extendig lug 28 that extends adjacent a rearwardly facagsurface- 28 on motor D, as shown particularly a Fig. 9, and the motor Dis secured by approprite means to the lug 28. In the embodimentilistrated, bolts 88 extend through the motor casng from end to end andnuts 8| on said bolts vre disposed between lug 28 and the rear endporion of the motor, and nuts 82 are placed on the ear ends of the boltsand engage the rear face f the lug 28. The motor is also secured to theracket by end extensions 88 on an intermediate and 84 of the motorstructure projecting down tlongside the bracket C at its opposite facesand ecured thereto by a transverse bolt 85. In this nanner the motor isfirmly and rigidly applied to he bracket so as to be movable therewith.

The gear case E previously referred to is apilied to the casing of themotor at the front :nd of the casing. Preferably the' front end of ;he'motor casing is flat. :ase E conforms to the front wall of the motor:asing and is removably secured thereto by means if screws 81. The gearcase E is relatively shalow and extends substantially diametrically with:eference to the motor. Attached to the motor lhaft and forming anextension thereon is a screw )1 worm 88 extending transversely of case Eand iubstantially at the middle thereof and engaging t gear 88 locatedin case E at one end thereof. Gear 88 is of substantial depth orthickness and .n the region above worm 88 it engages a shallow rear 48arranged in the opposite end portion of the case and overlying the gear88. The gear 88 has a long hub 4| projecting down into a bearing sleeve42 formed integrally with the gear case. On top of bearing sleeve 42 isa thrust bearing 48 interposed between said sleeve and the lower face ofgear 88. Gear 48 has a long hub member 44 projecting down into a bearingmember 45 formed integrally with the lower wall of the gear case.Bearing sleeve 45 is extended within the gear case to such a degree asto engage the lower surface of the narrow gear 48. In the particularcase shown the gears 88, 48 are helical gears.

Hub member 4| of the wide gear has an extension 48 projecting upwardlyout of the cover 41 of the gear case and at its upper end this extension48 has a square socket 48. Beneath the socket 48 a spring 48 embracesthe hub extension 48 and acts on a ball 58 projecting into the bore ofthe gear hub for the purpose of yieldingly locking in place the spindleof one of the agitators F. The spindle 5| has a beater 52 applied to thelower end portior. thereof, said beater having blades or agitatingelements of any desired form. Near its upper end the spindle 5| has asquared portion 58 adapted to engage a square socket 54 formed in thegear hub 4| at the lower end thereof. Above the square portion 58spindle 5| is provided with a reduced cylindrical portion 55 projectingup into the gearhub and having adjacent its upper extremity an annulargroove 58 adapted to be engaged by the ball 58 previously mentioned.Thus, as the agitator spindle 5| is moved up into the socket in gear 88,portion 58 non-rotatably engages a portion of the socket, and the springpressed ball 58 engaging the groove 58 holds the agitator spindleagainst dislocation relatively to the gear, nevertheless permitting theremoval of the spindle from the gear when that is desired.

The rear wall 88 of- Agitator spindle 51 is mounted in hub 44 of gear 48in substantially the same manner as spindle 5| is mounted in hub 4|, andtherefore a detailed description of this latter mounting will beunnecessary.

A thrust bearing to take up end thrust on the worm 88 is preferablyprovided in association with the outer end of the worm. In theparticular case shown, the outer end of the worm has a concave surfacereceiving an anti-friction ball 58, and the opposite face of the ball isengaged by a screw 58 having a concave face. The screw 58 has threadsengaging interior threads in a hole passing through the front wall ofgear case E, and located on the screw 58 at the exterior of the gearcase wall is a nut 88 by means of which screw 58 may be locked in theposition to which it is adjusted. In this manner a simple and yetefficient form of anti-friction thrust bearing for the worm 88 isprovided.

The square socket 48 previously mentioned,

which is located in the upper end portion of the hub of gear 88, servesto receive the lower end of a juice extractor shaft 8|, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 11. Shaft 8| carries at its upper end a reamer 82for extracting fruit juices, and when agitator spindle 5| has beenremoved from gear 88, reamer shaft 8| may be engaged with said gear tobe driven thereby. Near the lower extremity of shaft 8| the same isprovided with a square portion 88 adapted to fit square socket 48, andbelow square portion 88 the reamer shaft is reduced in diameter andshaped cylindrically so as to form a member extending into and closelyfitting the bore in gear 88. The lower cylindrical portion of the shaftis shown at 84, and it will be noted that in the operative positionportion 84 preferably extends downwardly past the body or web 88 of thegear 88, as shown in Fig. 11.

The reamer 82 is disposed within the juicecollecting bowl I-I previouslymentioned. This bowl H is removably mounted on the motor, and

for this purpose the bowl-supporting bracket I previously mentioned isprovided. The bracket I is preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 13, beingmade out of sheet metal and having a body 85 provided with a rectangularopening 88 adapted when the bowl is set down upon the bracket to beengaged by a rectangular projection 81 on the lower face of the bowlsurrounding the opening 88 in the bottom of the bowl through which thereamer 8| extends upwardly. The bracket has an integral foot 88depending from its front margin engaging the upper face of the gear caseE, and at its rear edge the body of the bracket is turned downward toprovide a flange 18 having notches 1|, 12 adapted to engage bolts 18, 14on the motor. These bolts are usually the bolts by which the parts ofthe motor are held together at the upper part of the motor, and nuts 15,18 on the front ends of these bolts are adapted to engage the front faceof flange 18 in order to secure bracket I firmly to the motor casing.The body of the bracket provided with the opening 88 having nonrotatableengagement with the bowl is preferably disposed in a horizontal planeand spaced upwardly from the top of the gear case E. The bowl H ispreferably provided with a discharge spout 11 in the bottom thereof bymeans of which juice may be discharged from the bowl into a suitablereceptacle.

In the use of our device bowls of different sizes, and otherreceptacles, can be positioned on the base A for co-operation with oneor both of the agitators F. Either agitator may be removed from itssocket without interfering with the operation of the other agitator. In,mixing bever-- ages, for example, it will be advisable to use only oneof the agitators, and in such case the agitator will extend downwardlyinto a glass or the like containing the beverage, said glass beingsupported on the base. When it is desired to extract the juice fromoranges, the right hand agitator shown in Fig. 1 is removed, the bowl His placed in position on the bracket I, and the reamer G is placed inoperative position, its shaft being passed down through the opening inthe bottom of the bowl and through the opening in the bracket I toengage one of the gears in an operative manner, as has been hereinbeforedescribed.

In the form of our invention shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the intermeshinggears which drive the agitator spindles are spur gears rather thanhelicalgears. In this case the worm 38 driven by the motor shaft has itstooth form somewhat altered so that it will drive a wide spur gear 39which in turn drives a narrow spur gear 40 In the form shown in Fig. 16,two spur gears of equal depth are employed, said gears intermeshing. Inthis case the worm 38 driven from the motor shaft meshes with a wormgear 38 having a hub 38 to which a narrow spur gear 39 is fixed, saidgear 39 meshing with a similar narrow spur gear 40 In the form shown inFig. 17,-the motor shaft and the two gears driving the agitator spindlesare all located in the same plane. In this particular case the motorshaft carries a worm or screw 380 engaging a narrow spur gear 390associated with one of the agitator spindles, and a narrow spur gear 400is located in the same plane as gear 390 and driven thereby. As inprevious cases the gear element on or associated with the motor shaftdrives a gear element associated with one agitator spindle and the otheragitator spindle gear is driven from the gear associated with the firstspindle by direct engagement or mesh therewith.

The appliance is a very useful one for the housewife and yet it issimple in construction and can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

Various changes can be made in the details of the structure hereindescribed without departing from the principles of our invention. Wehave not attempted to describe the various modifications which fallwithin the scope of our invention as defined in the claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a device such as described, the combination of a base, a pedestalrising therefrom, a bracket pivoted to the upper end of the pedestal toswing in a vertical plane, a lug rising from the bracket and detachablysecured to the rear end portion of the motor, a band encircling themotor structure and forming a part of the motor casing and havingportions secured to the'bracket at the sides thereof, a gear casesecured 'to the motor and containing gearing driven from the motorshaft, and an agitator spindle driven from said gearing and adapted tostir the contents of a receptacle supported on said base.

2. In a device such as described, the combination of a base, a pedestalrising therefrom, a bracket pivoted to the pedestal to swing in avertical plane, a motor secured to the bracket, a

in said bowl having a shaft extending down into the gear case andoperativly engaging the gearing in said case.

3. In a device such as described, the combination of a pedestal, abracket pivoted thereto, a motor mounted on the bracket and having itsshaft horizontally arranged, a gear case located at the overhanging endof the motor and containing gearing driven from the motor shaft, abracket having a horizontally disposed portion spaced vertically above.the gear case, means securing said bracket to the motor, meanssupporting said bracket from the gear case, a horizontally disposedjuice-receiving bowl having its bottom supported on said bracket, and areamer in said bowl driven from said gearing, said bracket having anaperture therein with which the bowl bottom is non-rotatably engaged.

4. In a household mixer, the combination of a motor having a horizontalshaft, a worm on said shaft, a gear located in a horizontal plane at oneside of the worm, a second gear also located in a horizontal plane withits axis spaced from that of said first gear, and said first gear havingintegrally related portions provided with teeth meshing respectivelywith said worm and second gear, said second gear being relatively narrowwith respect to the width of said first gear and lying in a planevertically offset from that of the worm shaft, a casing surrounding saidworm and gears, and agitator devices depending from the respective gearsand driven thereby.

5. In a household mixer, the combination of a motor having a horizontalshaft, a worm on said shaft, a gear located in a horizontal plane at oneside of said worm, said gear being relatively wide with respect to theworm diameter, a relatively narrow gear also in a horizontal planehaving its axis spaced from, and parallel to, that of the first gear,said first-named gear having integrally related parts provided withteeth, said teeth meshing with said worm adjacent one part of the gearand meshing with the teeth of said second gear at another part of saidfirst gear vertically offset from said first part, a casing surroundingsaid worm and gears, and agitator devices depending from the respectivegears and driven thereby, and said worm being disposed between the axesof said gears.

6. In a device such as described, the combination of a motor, ahorizontally disposed worm driven by said motor, a gear case secured tothe motor casing in which said worm is disposed, a gear horizontallydisposed in said gear case and being of greater depth than said worm sothat the body of the gear extends beyond the zone of the worm, a secondand shallower gear having its axis parallel to the first and spacedtherefrom, and said first gear having integrally related portionsprovided with teeth, the teeth at one portion of said gear being engagedby said worm,

and the teeth at another portion of said gear vertically offset from thefirst portion being engaged by the teeth of said second gear, andagitator elements depending from, and driven by,-

the respective gears.

ALFRED C. GILBERT. SHIRLEY P. MORSE.

